ART HILL
05-16-2010, 06:34 PM
Today's guide trip was with the Henkel family, from Fort Meyers Florida. Their plane landed at LAX at 1:30 A.M. this morning, and they arrived at their Temecula Hotel at 4:00 A.M. After a one and a half hour nap, we met at Vail Lake. They looked beat to say the least, but the promise of great fishing kept them pumped up.
The fog was so think this morning that I actually turned on my GPS. Only the second time I have used it at Vail. The fog had me thinking topwater for the morning, as I have been waiting for this bite to go off. I have put some guys on a few topwater fish in the past few weeks, but nothing to brag about.
We pulled up on a good looking spot, bass were crashing the shad, and it was on. Brandon was the first to hook up, on his first cast, and it was a good one. The first fish of the morning was a solid 3.5 pound fish. Not a bad start to the day. Everett Jr. was throwing an underspin, while his dad Everett was throwing a jerbait. All three worked.
Brandon was on fire with his topwater bait, as he caught fish after fish. All of these fish were good ones. He caught one that went around 6 pounds, or close to it. That fish was spawned out, as were all of them, and they were roaming the shallows killing the shad.
Everett Jr., who was throwing the underspin, nailed a really good fish, one of around 4.5 pounds, and Everett Sr. had a catfish that just inhaled his jerbait. The cat was a good one of about 10 pounds. We thought it was a huge bass at first. The guys were having a blast, and then the sun came out, and just like that, the topwater bite was gone.
No sooner did the sun come out, and so did the water skiers. What a pain they are! Boat after boat they came. After a while the ski boats out numbered the fishing boats. One of the favorite things the skiers love to do is to ski and drop the skier right by your boat, just so they can make a big wave near you, when they circle to pick up the fallen skier. They have a whole lake, yet they have to fall right on top of you. If you look at them, you can see the observer raise an arm, signaling the skier to fall. Works every time.
With our fishing area overrun with boat traffic, we left for new fishing grounds. I headed over to an area that has been producing very well on numerous techniques. Everett Sr. wanted to try the dropshot, as this was new to him, and in no time he was on. A chunky fish of about 2 1/4 pounds. This fish was so full of shad we wondered why he wanted to eat.
Brandon decided he wanted to fish the Senko, and this proved to be a great choice. He was on fish over and over. Everett Jr. was now sitting down, resting his eyes, or was that checking them for lite leaks. Brandon then picked up the lizard, and he was on fish with this bait. Brandon is an excellent fisherman, and has competed on the FLW tour, and some B.A.S.S. events. He has also fished with some of the biggest names on the pro tour. So has Everett Sr.
By 2:30, Brandon and Everett Jr. were sleeping, Sr. had already taken a nap, and they decided they were ready to call it a day. They are leaving for a 2 day ocean trip in the morning, and had a 2 hour drive to Long Beach today. These guys are maniacs. It was a great day, and Vail is only getting better. Here are a few pictures from today.
Brandon with a nice one.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010002.jpg
Everett Jr.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010005.jpg
Everett Sr.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010006.jpg
Brandon.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010004.jpg
Family photo
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010008.jpg
Thanks,
Art
www.vaillakeguideservice.com (http://www.vaillakeguideservice.com)
www.diamondvalleyguideservice.com (http://www.diamondvalleyguideservice.com)
The fog was so think this morning that I actually turned on my GPS. Only the second time I have used it at Vail. The fog had me thinking topwater for the morning, as I have been waiting for this bite to go off. I have put some guys on a few topwater fish in the past few weeks, but nothing to brag about.
We pulled up on a good looking spot, bass were crashing the shad, and it was on. Brandon was the first to hook up, on his first cast, and it was a good one. The first fish of the morning was a solid 3.5 pound fish. Not a bad start to the day. Everett Jr. was throwing an underspin, while his dad Everett was throwing a jerbait. All three worked.
Brandon was on fire with his topwater bait, as he caught fish after fish. All of these fish were good ones. He caught one that went around 6 pounds, or close to it. That fish was spawned out, as were all of them, and they were roaming the shallows killing the shad.
Everett Jr., who was throwing the underspin, nailed a really good fish, one of around 4.5 pounds, and Everett Sr. had a catfish that just inhaled his jerbait. The cat was a good one of about 10 pounds. We thought it was a huge bass at first. The guys were having a blast, and then the sun came out, and just like that, the topwater bite was gone.
No sooner did the sun come out, and so did the water skiers. What a pain they are! Boat after boat they came. After a while the ski boats out numbered the fishing boats. One of the favorite things the skiers love to do is to ski and drop the skier right by your boat, just so they can make a big wave near you, when they circle to pick up the fallen skier. They have a whole lake, yet they have to fall right on top of you. If you look at them, you can see the observer raise an arm, signaling the skier to fall. Works every time.
With our fishing area overrun with boat traffic, we left for new fishing grounds. I headed over to an area that has been producing very well on numerous techniques. Everett Sr. wanted to try the dropshot, as this was new to him, and in no time he was on. A chunky fish of about 2 1/4 pounds. This fish was so full of shad we wondered why he wanted to eat.
Brandon decided he wanted to fish the Senko, and this proved to be a great choice. He was on fish over and over. Everett Jr. was now sitting down, resting his eyes, or was that checking them for lite leaks. Brandon then picked up the lizard, and he was on fish with this bait. Brandon is an excellent fisherman, and has competed on the FLW tour, and some B.A.S.S. events. He has also fished with some of the biggest names on the pro tour. So has Everett Sr.
By 2:30, Brandon and Everett Jr. were sleeping, Sr. had already taken a nap, and they decided they were ready to call it a day. They are leaving for a 2 day ocean trip in the morning, and had a 2 hour drive to Long Beach today. These guys are maniacs. It was a great day, and Vail is only getting better. Here are a few pictures from today.
Brandon with a nice one.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010002.jpg
Everett Jr.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010005.jpg
Everett Sr.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010006.jpg
Brandon.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010004.jpg
Family photo
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad228/arthill12/EVERETTHENKLEMAY162010008.jpg
Thanks,
Art
www.vaillakeguideservice.com (http://www.vaillakeguideservice.com)
www.diamondvalleyguideservice.com (http://www.diamondvalleyguideservice.com)